Frustrated, angered and fearful, Mr. Noam Shalit on Monday morning in a press conference announced the Free Gilad Shalit campaign is taking a more aggressive approach in light of the inactions of the current administration and the previous administration of Ehud Olmert. Mr. Shalit blames both administrations of abandoning his son, an IDF soldier. Mr. Shalit accuses of both administrations of abandoning the IDF Code of Ethics, which includes never leaving a soldier behind in the battlefield.

Mr. Shalit also feels the government is trying to buy time, preferring to leave the matter for the next administration rather than dealing with it and making the necessary heavy decisions. 

Mr. Shalit spoke of his frustrations as Gilad will mark a fourth anniversary in captivity in less than two weeks while his release appears to have long fallen from the top of the national government’s priority list.

Speaking from Beit Sokolov in Tel Aviv, Mr. Shalit spoke of the need to release a few hundred terrorists to bring Gilad home, warning a continuation of the current situation will only serve to encourage Hamas to abduct additional IDF soldiers.

The family along with supporters plans to march on June 27th from Mitzpei Hila, Gilad’s home in the north, to the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem as the activists vow to step-up efforts in light of the government’s inaction. They vow to remain outside the Prime Minister’s Residence until such time Gilad is released. “We will only return home with Gilad” stated Mr. Shalit.

In a related matter, Gilad’s grandfather Tzvi made a recent trip to France in the hope of persuading French officials to accept an active role in ongoing negotiations towards obtaining Gilad’s release. Gilad also maintains French citizenship.

The visit took place last week, with the knowledge and approval of officials in the Prime Minister’s Office, including Chaggai Hadas, who is the PM’s emissary dealing with the Shalit situation.

 (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)